In addition to my 2 upcoming ALA presentations (apologies to my co-authors for getting a late start on some of my deliverables) and my incomplete library school class (thanks for the extension, Dr. Kules!), I have a few other things going on that I wanted to throw up here in case anyone wants to collaborate or take the lead:
1) Sharepoint librarians, unite – I’m actually trying to follow up with my idea to have a SharePoint working group somehow associated with SLA, or at least a local Sharepoint librarian-centric user group. This one has been brewing for about 6 months, and I’d like to do something on it next year in Philadelphia if the conference submission deadline hasn’t passed yet.
2) #SLAleftbehind webinar series – Kelly Knight, past president of CUA SLA, suggested that our chapter purchase a webinar license and stream the videos publicly for our students to watch. We tossed this around for a few months and landed on a “summer series” held on a different night of the week so that folks living that public library life can possibly attend. You can vote on your preferred topics and dates here. We’re using #SLAleftbehind to promote this event and SLA’s Maryland chapter has generously offered to sponsor refreshments at one of these, so you’ll be well-fed (free drink tickets for CUA students). Smith Public Trust has a back room with a projector, sound system, and bleachers. It’s next to their patio. We’ll have a good time. It looks like each of the outgoing officers is going to take the lead on running one of these, so we’ll be looking for guest speakers soon. We want to loop people into the current SLA goings-on! My real regret is that we weren’t able to organize a public forum to go over the consultant’s report before conference – this would have been the perfect forum to facilitate a discussion about it (I have LOTS to say about this – watch for another post soon).
3) Digital Archives Specialist certificate program at CUA – I’ve been working with the Society of American Archivists to negotiate a deeply discounted rate for CUA students (and possibly alumni) interested in pursuing SAA’s DAS curriculum. I’m not going to have a lot of news on this short-term, but I’m hoping to have an announcement and schedule out by the end of 2015. I’m really excited about this.
4) CUA service trip – I have a hare-brained scheme to send a small group of students on a service trip this summer. I’ve put out feelers and requests to librarians and library advocates, but I haven’t found the right project yet. I’d like a group of 4-6 library school students to hit the road in late August and do a 4-6 day trip to a library that needs help. Do you know anyone? We were invited to help set up a brand-new academic library at the newly opened NorthEastern Baptist College in Bennington, Vermont (h/t to Jessamyn West for the hookup).
5) OWL Brunch – ditto on the hare-brained scheme – complimentary prixe fix brunch at Smith Public Trust following the first Saturday “Online and Weekend Learning” course of each semester at library school. I hope I am not alone in wanting this, deeply.
That’s about it. I’m also submitting conference proposals for 2016, and looking into PhD programs. More soon. I leave for Italy on May 23rd for 10 days and apparently we have to write a “reflection journal” (it’s a library school class) so look forward to at least 10 blog posts. Maybe there will be pictures.
In other library news, my office is moving from Hyattsville to Largo sometime in June (maybe while I’m in Italy). This obviously makes a lot of things in my life less convenient (or, in the case of bike commuting, impossible), but is somewhat mitigated by my personal move to Mount Pleasant, where I’ll be living a few blocks from a coworker who’s kindly offered to drive me to work. I’m excited to try new yoga studios, get more involved with the Friends of the Mount Pleasant Library, and hopefully see my friends more often. I’m not particularly looking forward to moving my home and office while I still have 2 ALA presentations to finish, but, this is the group house of my dreams, it’s in my price range, and it allows cats. Maybe I’ll have a housewarming in July.